Axon and Skydio Partner to Deliver Scalable Drone Solutions for Public Safety

Axon and Skydio announced the launch of an end-to-end offering for drones in public safety, including a scalable Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution. This expanded alliance brings together Skydio’s leading drone technology with Axon’s comprehensive suite of products for public safety.

The offering includes:

• U.S.-made autonomous drones, onsite docking stations, and integrated flight control software from Skydio
• Real-time operations, real-time crime center (RTCC) capabilities, and evidence management from Axon
• Fleet and program management through Axon Air Powered by DroneSense
• Airspace awareness and deconfliction from Dedrone’s innovative technology that enables DFR beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without the need for visual observers

Axon Founder and CEO Rick Smith said, “Drones are the future of public safety. If we can provide first responders more time, more information and, effectively, more resources, we can drastically improve the way they protect our communities.”

Skydio Co-founder and CEO Adam Bry added, “This is an exciting time for drones in public safety, as their impact expands from smaller, specialized teams to fundamentally transforming the nature of first response.”

DFR allows agencies to deploy remotely piloted drones to emergency calls, often arriving before ground units and providing real-time situational awareness. This can significantly improve incident response time, enable safer response strategies, and optimize resource allocation.

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Public safety agencies now have the flexibility to customize and scale drone and DFR programs seamlessly with this offering. While the full DFR solution is ideal for most customers, the partnership enables support for unique agency needs and operational requirements.

DroneXL’s Take

The Axon and Skydio partnership represents a major step forward for the use of drones in public safety. By combining Skydio’s autonomous drone technology with Axon’s extensive public safety ecosystem, agencies can now implement comprehensive and scalable drone programs, including Drone as First Responder solutions.

This development aligns with the growing trend of drones becoming an essential tool for law enforcement and emergency response. As seen in recent DroneXL articles, Skydio has been actively lobbying for the adoption of U.S.-made drones in government applications, particularly in light of the Countering CCP Drones Act introduced by Representative Elise Stefanik. Skydio has also recently added a board of security experts to further strengthen its position in the public safety sector.

The Axon-Skydio partnership not only addresses the growing demand for drones in public safety but also ensures that agencies have access to expensive U.S.-made drone technology. As the use of drones continues to expand, collaborations like this will be crucial in driving innovation and ensuring the responsible integration of drones into public safety operations.